Tool for use in cementing well casing



N 1953 J. R. SOLUM ETAL TOOL FOR USE IN CEMENTING WELL CASING 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Sept. 6, 1960 FIG. I.

FIG. 3.

JAMES R. SOLUM WILLIAM C. HEMPEL CONRAD R. SOLUM, JR.

INVENTORS ATTORNEYS FIG. 4.

Nov. 5, 1963 J. R. SOLUM ETAL 3,109,492

TOOL FOR USE IN CEMENTING WELL CASING Original Filed Sept. 6. 1960 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Hc l2 5 r 24 1 '2 9 I8 I A 9 -$T I30 n u 2 3O 33 H 29 3|Q x FIG. 7

a V L 24 J IO IO JAMES R. SOLUM WILLIAM c. HEMPEL l3c CONRAD R.SOLUM,JR.

INVENTORS FIG. 8. BY

ATTORNEYS Nov. 5, 1963 J. R. SOLUM ETAL 3,109,492

TOOL FOR USE IN CEMENTING WELL CASING Original Filed Sept. 6, 1960 :5Sheets-Sheet 3 JAMES R. SOLUM WILLIAM C. HEMPEL CONRAD R. SOLUM, JR.

INVENTORS ATTORN EYS Edd-h4 2 Patented Nov. 55, 1963:

3,169,492 TOUL FUR USE IN CEMENTING WELL (IASENG James R. Salem, LosAngeles, and William tC. l-leurpel and Conrad R. Solum, .hz, ManhattanBeach, tilalif assigners to ll'& W Incorporated, Torrance, Calif., acorporation of California Original application Sept. 6, 196%, Set. No.54,313

now Patent No. 3,074,4b3, dated Eon. 22, 1963. l vided and thisapplication .l nly 16, 1962, No. 219,992

Claims. (Cl. 166-172) This invention relates to apparatus for use incompletion of oil wells and is particularly directed to improvementsover devices of the type shown in Wright Patent No. 2,881,840. Thisapplication is a division of application Serial No. 54,313, filedSeptember 6, 1960, now United States Patent No. 3,074,433.

In the completion of oil wells it is conventional practice to placecement in the annular space between well pipe and wall of the formation.It is highly desirable to obtain a cement bond of optimum qualitybetween the casing and the formation to facilitate subsequent completionoperations and to prevent failures. In order to obtain such a cementbond it is necessary to displace all or nearly all of the drilling mudfrom the annular space during the cementing process.

At present it is common practice to use well scratchers mounted on thewell pipe to abrade the walls of the well formation to remove anydeposited drilling mud so that the cement can form a bond with the wallsof the well formation. However in some instances it becomes lessdesirable to ellect an actual abrading on the walls of the wellformation, but it is still highly desirable to displace all of thedrilling mud with cement in the annular space.

In normal practice, circulation is maintained before the cementing bypumping the drilling mud down the inside of the well casing to thebottom of the hole and up the annular space between the well casing andthe walls of the formation to the surface. However all of the drill ingmud in the annular space is not put in motion by such pumping and on thecontrary the fluid flow establishes a channeling through the staticdrilling mud in the annular space. If the cement is pumped in underthese conditions it too assumes the channeling condition previouslyestablished and consequently the drilling mud in the annular space isnot completely displaced by cement as desired.

In order to displace the drilling mud completely with the cement the mudmust be completely fluid and totally in motion. if sufficient turbulenceis cerated within the drilling mud it will all be in motion. Suchturbulence can be created by sufficiently high pumping velocities, butthis is impossible under conventional practice. Turbulence can also becreated in the mud within the annular space by placing devices on theouter surface of the easing and either rotating or reciprocating thecasing so that such devices pass through substantially all of theannular space. The agitation caused by the movement of such devicesreduces the static or gelled drilling mud to a fluid state capable ofbeing displaced by the cement.

Accordingly it is the principal object of this invention to provide animproved form of cementing tool for creating turbulence in the annularspace containing the mud column.

Another object of this invention is to provide a turbulence generatorwhich will be highly effective for the least amount of rotation orreciprocation of the well pipe.

Another object is to provide a well tool which is adapted both tocontact the walls of the formation and to create turbulence in theannular space.

Another object is to provide a turbulence generator which may comprisemultiple strand flexible wire cable mounted so as to establish pairs ofturbulence generating elements.

Another object is to provide a well tool device of this type which canbe manufactured with a minimum cost and is particularly adapted to standsevere treatment and use.

Another object is to provide a well tool device of this type which iscomprised of a minimum number of lengths of multiple strand flexiblewire cable thereby facilitating assembly by minimizing both the numberof pieces to be handled and cut ends of cable which tend to becomefrayed and difiicult to assemble.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view showing the well tool device constitutinga preferred embodiment of our invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line '22 asshown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail of a sectional view taken substantiallyon the line 3-3 as shown in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a View similar to FIGURE 1 showing a modification.

FIGURE 5 shows a second modification.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view of the retainer shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 7-7 as shown inFIGURE 5.

FIGURE 8 shows a fragmentary length of a well tool device constituting athird modification, the carrier comprising a longitudinal strip insteadof a collar.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 9-59 as shownin FIGURE 8, showing the tool installed in one position.

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 1l-ltl asshown in FEGURE 8, showing the tool installed in an inverted position.

FIGURE 11 shows another modification, the carrier comprising alongitudinal strip instead of a collar.

Referring to the drawings, the turbulence generating device generallydesignated til includes a carrier sleeve 11 which may be fixed to thewel casing or well pipe 12 by any convenient means, for example, wellmetal 13 fixingthe device to a stop collar 14 which is in turn securedto the pipe by conventional means.

Elements which extend into the annular space outside the casing areformed of a continuous length of multiple strand flexible wire cable 15in the form of an upper loop 17 and a lower loop 18 as shown in thedrawings. The upper loop 17 has base portions 19 and 2t secured to thecarrier sleeve ll. The lower loop 18 has base portions 21 and 22, alsosecured to the carrier sleeve 11. The upper loop 17 being in the form ofan arch with its base portions I? and 2t} relatively separated andoverlapping each adjacent upper loop 17 and the lower loop 18 having itsbase portions 21 and 2?, in close proximity.

A securing device generally designated 23 consisting of a bridge element24 and locking tabs 25 which secure the cable 16 to the carrier sleevell. The bridge element 24 is lanced from the sheet material from thecarrier sleeve it and the cable is inserted in a manner so as to provideloops 17 and 13 on the exterior of the carrier sleeve 11. The lockingtabs 25 are lanced from the material of the omrier sleeve ll and bent toa position as shown in FIG- URE 3. The locking tabs serve to secure thebase portions 19, 20, 21, and 22 of the loops to the carrier sleeve 11and to cause the loops to extend outwardly from the carrier sleeve 11,by mashing the multiple strand wire cable 16 between the bridge element24 and said locking tabs 25. The upper loop 17 being of sufficientmagnitude and properly directed to engage the surrounding wall 26 of thewell bore. A lower loop 18 being so positioned as to extend into theannular space 27 without contacting the surrounding wall 26 when thewell pipe 12 is centered within the surrounding wall 26.

In the modified form of our invention shown in FIG- URE 4, two lengthsof multiple strand wire ca le 16 and 16a are used rather than only one.Furthermore each length of cable alternately forms an arched shape loopabove and below the carrier sleeve 11. In this manner a morecomprehensive coverage of the annular space 27 is obtained with use of aminimum additional amount of cable. Stop lugs 15 are welded on eitherside of the carrier sleeve 11 to illustrate an optional method ofmounting the device to the well pipe.

In the modified form of our invention shown in FIG URE 5, the length ofmultiple strand wire cable 16b is relatively shorter than either of theother forms of our invention and each cable length 16b forms only oneupper loop 17b and one lower loop 1811. Furthermore the manner ofsecuring the cable lengths 16b to the carrier is different. The cableends 28 and 29 of each cable length 16b and the intermediate segment Stlof cable length 16b are all secured in a retainer generally designated31 by mechanically forming segments 32 and 33 of retainer 31 around theintermediate segment 36) and cable ends 28 and 29 respectively.Furthermore the cable loops are forced to project outwardly from thecarrier sleeve by means of locking tabs 251) formed integrally from thematerial of retainer 31. The retainer 31 is fixed to the carrier sleeve11 by any convenient means, for example spot or projection Weld 34. Thecost of manufacturing is reduced to a minimum by separating theoperations of handling and forming the cable loops which is done withthe retainer, and the fixing of the loop to the carrier sleeves.

The modified form of our invention shown in FIG- URES 8 and 11 arevariations of the devices shown in FIGURES l and respectively in whichthe cable is mounted on a carrier strip 11c rather than a carrier sleeve11 and in which the turbulence is generated by rotation rather thanreciprocation of the well pipe 12. The carrier strip 110 is fixed to thewell pipe 12 by any convenient means for example weld metal 130.

FIGURES 9 and reveal that the devices shown in FIGURES 8 and 11 can bemounted with the larger loops extending either to the right or left.Furthermore the well pipe 12 can be rotated in either direction with thedevices so mounted.

It should be observed that in our preferred form and all the modifiedforms of our invention there are pairs of loops formed of flexible cablewith one loop of each pair relatively larger than the other. Further thegeneral cable configuration and means of mounting the cable on thecarrier are the same for a sleeve type carrier or a longitudinal striptype carrier when the circumference of the sleeve type carrier isconsidered as corresponding to the longitudinal length of the strip typecarrier.

7 Having fully described our invention, it is to be understood we do notwish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but our invention isof the full scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l.- In a device of the class described for generating turbulence in amobile mixture existing in the annular space between a well pipe and asurrounding wall upon reciprocation of the well pipe relative to thesurrounding wall, said device adapted to be mounted on the outer surfaceof the well pipe, the combination of: a carrier sleeve, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced turbulence generatingelemen-ts mounted on saidcarrier sleeve, each of said elements including a length of multiplestrand wire (3. cable forming two loops and having both ends of thecable length and an intermediate segment of said cable length mounted onthe carrier sleeve, the cable ends and said intermediate segment of eachcable length being positioned in close proximity forming the baseportions of both loops, and means for anchoring both ends andintermediate segment of each cable length to the carrier sleeve.

2. In a device of the class described, for generating turbulence in amobile mixture existing in the annular space betweena well pipe and asurrounding wall upon reciprocation of the well pipe relative to thesurrounding wall, said device adapted to be mounted on the outer surfaceof thewell pipe, the combination of: a carrier sleeve, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced turbulence generating elements mounted on saidcarrier sleeve, each of said elements including a retainer and a lengthof multiple strand wire cable secured in each retainer, said cablelength forming two loops and having both ends and an intermediatesegment secured in said retainer, and locking tabs formed integrallywith the retainer whereby the loop portions of said cable length areforced to project outwardly from the well pipe.

3. In a device of the class described for generating turbulence in amobile mixture existing in the annular space between a well pipe and asurrounding wall, said device adapted to be mounted on the outer surfaceof the well pipe, the combination of: a carrier sleeve, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced turbulence generating elements mounted on saidcarrier sleeve, each of said elements including a retainer and a lengthof multiple strand wire cable secured in each retainer, said cablelength forming two loops and having both ends and an intermediate segentsecured in said retainer, and locking tabs formed integrally with saidretainer whereby the loop portions of said cable length are forced toproject outwardly from the well pipe, each retainer positioned on thecarrier sleeve so that one loop secured thereby is directly over theother loop formed by the same cable length, and the upper loop extendinggenerally upwardly and outwardly from the well pipe to contact thesurrounding wall, and the lower loop being smaller'and extendinggenerally downwardly and outwardly from the well pipe without contactingthe surrounding wall. 7

4. In a device of the class described for generating turbulence in amobile mixture existing in the annular space between a well pipe and asurrounding wall upon rotation of the well pipe relative to thesurrounding wall, said device adapted to be mounted on the outer surfaceof the well pipe, the combination of: a carrier strip, a plurality oflongitudinally spaced turbulence generating elements mounted on saidcarrier ,strip each of said elements including a retainer and a lengthof multiple strand wire cable, each cable length formed into two loopshaving both ends and an intermediate segment being secured in theretainer, and locking tabs formed integrally with the retainer wherebythe loop portions of the cable length project outwardly from the wellpipe. V

5. In a device of the class described for generating turbulence in amobile mixture existing in the annular space between a well pipe and asurrounding wall upon rotation of the well pipe relative to thesurrounding wall, said device adapted to be mounted on the outer surfaceof the well pipe, the combination of: a carrier strip, a

plurality of longitudinally spaced turbulence generating elementsmounted on said carrier strip each of said elements including a retainerand a length of multiple strand wire cable, each cable length formedinto two loops having both ends and an intermediate segment beingsecured in the retainer, locking tabs formed integrally with theretainer whereby the loop portions of the cable length project outwardlyfrom the well pipe, each of said loops describing a plane relativelyparallel to the axis'of the well pipe with one loop of each said elementextending to the right and the other to the left of the said carrierReferences Cited in the file of this patent strip, and one of said loopsrelatively larger than the other loop and extending sufficiently foryieldable and UNIT ED STATES PATENTS slidable engagement with thesurrounding wall the smaller 218261253 Wright 111 195 8 loop of eachsaid element terminating intermediate be- 5 2,381,840 Wnght P 1959 tweenthe Well pipe and the surrounding wall. 3,074,483 Solum Jan. '22, 1963

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED FOR GENERATING TURBULENCE IN AMOBILE MIXTURE EXISTING IN THE ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN A WELL PIPE AND ASURROUNDING WALL UPON RECIPROCATION OF THE WELL PIPE RELATIVE TO THESURROUNDING WALL, SAID DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON THE OUTER SURFACEOF THE WELL PIPE, THE COMBINATION OF: A CARRIER SLEEVE, A PLURALITY OFCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED TURBULENCE GENERATING ELEMENTS MOUNTED ON SAIDCARRIER SLEEVE, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS INCLUDING A LENGTH OF MULTIPLESTRAND WIRE CABLE FORMING TWO LOOPS AND HAVING BOTH ENDS OF THE CABLELENGTH AND AN INTERMEDIATE SEGMENT OF SAID CABLE LENGTH MOUNTED ON THECARRIER SLEEVE, THE CABLE ENDS AND SAID INTERMEDIATE SEGMENT OF EACHCABLE LENGTH BEING POSITIONED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY FORMING THE BASEPORTIONS OF BOTH LOOPS, AND MEANS FOR ANCHORING BOTH ENDS ANDINTERMEDIATE SEGMENT OF EACH CABLE LENGTH TO THE CARRIER SLEEVE.